Yes, the invisible man like, Teejay van Who?
La Vuelta 2016 **SPOILERS**
- Thread starter rich p
- Start date
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deptfordmarmoset
Full time tea drinker
- Location
- Armonmy Way
Teejay van Gardeningleave?
HF2300
Insanity Prawn Boy
It's generally fairly sensible on the lower section at around 7% - 9%, though with ramps up to 12% - 14% in places, but then the last 4km gets strange and lumpy with a couple of downhill recovery sections.
Interestingly the point he appeared to be pacing himself and keeping his domestiques to that pace was on the lower, more regular slopes.
I don't quite follow what you mean by that, though as you say it's pretty clear he's not generally in top form - he's pretty much said that himself; but I was really just commenting on his Covadonga ride.
I just felt the commentators were quick to say Froome had blown or had a problem half way up Covadonga just because he was off the back of the Movistar group, but it seemed to me there wasn't evidence for that, and it was quite possible (and typical Froome) that he was riding by the numbers and not caring that Movistar were going all out, and into the red, to drop him. He seems to have confirmed that:
Chris Froome said:
brommers
Years beyond my wisdom
- Location
- Clacton-on-Sea
I'm working on that
Doesn't get any easier. Froome winning the stage finishing up the Peña Cabarga in 2011
View: https://youtu.be/uT8DdEdhy0A
400bhp
Guru
A couple of points on what I meant:
The only other time I've seen him pace like that is on La vuelta in 2014 when he was returning from injury (eventually placed second behind contador). So it would appear he wouldn't choose to do this.
Secondary, it feels more a form of defence than attack. Convention says you ride off the front to win. Furthermore you defend when you're winning.
What I would say is that doing this really affirms his current dominance at the top. His competitors just cannot tell if and when he is beaten.
brommers
Years beyond my wisdom
- Location
- Clacton-on-Sea
Go to Google earth for a great aerial view of the route up to the Mirador de Pena Carbaga
I think the live commentary (Eurosport) was a bit mis-leading and they jumped to the conclusion that Froome had blown. The highlights program on ITV4 with Ned and Millar was more instructive and their commentary (presume with some hindsight?) seemed to be more on the ball in that Froome was pacing himself up, knowing that he wasn't in top nick and therefore it was his best chance to limit any losses on this climb. Interviews with other Sky team members post stage seemed to back this up I thought.
themosquitoking
Guru
- Location
- Spain
I don't think so, differentiating it can only be a good thing. Why not have three GTs all suited to slightly different types of rider?
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
And on the subject of riding to the numbers ....
Quintana calls for power meters to be banned from racing
'They take away a lot of spectacle and make you race more cautiously,' says Vuelta leader
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/quintana-calls-for-power-meters-to-be-banned-from-racing/
Quintana calls for power meters to be banned from racing
'They take away a lot of spectacle and make you race more cautiously,' says Vuelta leader
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/quintana-calls-for-power-meters-to-be-banned-from-racing/
Says the man who wheelsucked around France in July!
deptfordmarmoset
Full time tea drinker
- Location
- Armonmy Way
And Froome's ''boring'' racing in the TdF spoilt the whole tour? Don't think so. Quintana was the boring one apart from about 100 metres climbing in one stage - at least I can only remember one attack seriously undertaken by him.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Ah, was Quintana trying a new power meter and now he's suffering buyer's remorse?
brommers
Years beyond my wisdom
- Location
- Clacton-on-Sea
Why does he choose to have one then?
